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Son of Hells Angel Peter 'Skitzo' Hewat guilty of drug-driving

Steve Butcher

The son of Hells Angel serjeant-at-arms Peter "Skitzo" Hewat has been convicted of two charges of drug-driving.

A Melbourne court heard on Tuesday that Beau Hewat, 25, twice tested positive last year to methamphetamine while driving heavy vehicles.

Melbourne Magistrates Court was told that at the time Peter Hewat was in custody and his son was working to keep his father's trucking business operating.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Julie Hose said Beau Hewat was stopped by police for a licence check on the Hume Highway at Sandhurst on September 4. A fluid test found the presence of the drug.

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Senior Constable Hose said Hewat, who was taken to Wodonga for a further drug test, was also issued with infringement notices by VicRoads for regulatory charges.

She said that on November 27 that year, Hewat was again stopped while driving a heavy vehicle which disclosed further regulatory offences and again to the presence of methamphetamine.

Defence solicitor Emma Turnbull said at the time Hewat was "trying the best he could" to keep the tow truck business "on track" while his father was in custody.

Ms Turnbull said there was no suggestion Hewat had been driving badly but accepted Magistrate Donna Bakos' comment that driving such vehicles while drug affected posed a great risk.

Ms Turnbull said Hewat's father had subsequently been released on bail and his son was now under his guidance.

Hewat, of Craigieburn, pleaded guilty to five charges that included two of driving under the influence of a drug.

In her sentencing remarks, Ms Bakos said she hoped that as the driver of heavy vehicles Hewat had received education about his responsibilities that included the dangers of drug-driving and the importance of keeping strict records.

Ms Bakos told Hewat he had posed a real risk to himself and "anybody else in the community" by his conduct. She gave him credit for pleading guilty, acknowledged he had no similar prior convictions and that there were no aggravating features to his driving.

Hewat was convicted and fined a total of $1000 and had his licence suspended for three months.